Aftereffect
by KFawkes
Summary: *AU with Spectre Garrus Vakarian. Start of ME1, similar story but many differences.* **Hope to update this one every week or 2!** ***Not rated M yet, but it will be so its labeled for future chapters.***


For the past two weeks Garrus had been dreading his next mission. That feeling of dread brought a friend named curiosity though. Having spent the weeks prior learning everything he could about his next task he was both excited and daunting. Today was the day he would have to take a new Spectre candidate under his wing. Not just any new candidate though and the Council needed their top Spectre to handle it, their words not his. This candidate wasn't like any other he'd processed before though. No, this candidate was special. One Commander Jane Shepard of the Alliance. Yes, that Alliance. Why Garrus had been given the task of accompanying the Commander to a human colony was beyond him. But he didn't ask questions when the Council gave him an order. Well, at least not since his father became the turian Councilor anyway.

This Commander Shepard was considered exponentially talented among her people and the galactic community. She had just turned 24 years old, she was born on the SSV Rowling, a fully human vessel for the most powerful and famous of families. The Shepard's were one of the most influential in the galaxy. He knew all about her family, her service history and everything in between; Every battle she had won, every fight she had lost. The Shepard family name dated as far back as The First Contact War. Actually the Shepard's were the ones to secure peace between the humans and turians on Shanxi, enacting a peace treaty many would have seemed impossible. There may have been peace between the humans and the turians since their arrival, but there was still tension between them. Wondering if that decorated history of service was due to her own abilities or if it was nepotism. Perhaps it was a little of both. Only time spent with her would tell, but he couldn't help feeling like he knew her already. Having read her file so many times, he had her memorized. She was a war hero, having held off a pack of batarian slavers on Elysium when she was only 18. The sole survivor from a ship wide massacre at the age of 21, the details on that incident were spotty and he found himself thinking about it frequently. This Jane Shepard was an N7, a natural leader, and intelligent far beyond her years. Even with the Commanders shining history Garrus wondered if his imagination of her was off. Would be be met by a spoiled little rich girl? Some entitled human... Or someone with kindness and compassion? He was skeptical. Skeptical and more intrigued than he cared to admit.

Garrus was to assist the Commander on a ground mission to Eden Prime. This would be the perfect opportunity to see just what this human was made of. To see if the woman lived up to the reputation she had made for herself. Looking at the clock told him he had to get going, better not be late on their first meeting. Plus he had a feeling that this mission would be big. Bigger than his father or the other Council members could have know when assigning him. Not only that but the sooner he got in there, the sooner he could get out and back to his normal life. The sooner he could stop reading that damn file...

Living the life of a Spectre had been everything that he hoped it would be. He had a wonderful home, a solid group of friends and a pet varren named Justice. He wasn't seeing anyone in an official capacity, but he had some female friends he did a little more than go drinking with. Garrus had spent many years dreaming what it would be like to lead the life he now had. One without rules restrict him or red tape to hold him back. He was free to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. And believe when I say he did. Within reason of course, he still had a code. He was a good man, and a lot better Spectre than some of the men he worked with. Garrus didn't mind killing if it solved the problem, but if he could help it he tried to reduce the amount of collateral damage.

He may not have been excited for the mission itself, but he was excited to see just how incredible this new ship was. That and he had grown increasingly curious about the human in the couple weeks prior. Upon entering he immediately recognized the turian influences around him on the SR1. The Normandy really was elegant. Garrus could have done without all the looks he received from the human crew members though. But truthfully, he was fairly used to those looks. You got them a lot doing the kind of job he did.

"Spectre Vakarian. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Welcome aboard the Normandy." Captain Anderson approached him extending a hand. Garrus was used to shaking hands with humans, he'd done it many times.

"Captain Anderson. Likewise." Returning the handshake he walk forward toward the CIC to examine it more closely. After a moment of admiring the galaxy map, the Captain signaled towards the Comm Room gesturing him to follow.

"She's beautiful isn't she?" Anderson smiled as they continued forward signaling around him at the SR1.

Upon entering Garrus noticed a tall human standing with her back towards them. Her hair was a deep crimson red. Immediately he could smell her. Lavender. As they walk forward, she slowly turned to face them wearing a bright wide smile. Upon scanning her face, he felt his own lighten.

"She is." With lose mandibles he watched the human walk toward them extending a long slender hand out for his. For a second he didn't shake it, finding himself distracted by those large emerald eyes shining up at him from at least a foot below.

"Commander Shepard." When she spoke her voice was soft and kind, just like he imagined. She was still holding her hand out for him to take.

He moved his eyes from hers past all of the brown specks decorating her pale skin. Sliding them down tracing those impeccable lips, noticing they still held a comforting smile. After a moment he realized what he was doing, that he had been staring... That she had been waiting ever so patiently with hand still outstretched attempting to read him. Shaking his head slightly, he pulled his mandibles closer as he grabbed her hand in his. Once they touched he felt a cold wave run through his body. In that moment he raised his free hand holding hers between them both in more intimate of a greeting than he intended.

"Garrus Vakarian." His voice was a raspy purr as he still held her hand in his. He noticed the look in her eyes, paired with a slightly difference smile this time. This was one of the times he wished humans were a Council race so he could at least read her vitals. Get an idea about what was going on in her head…

"Pleasure to meet you." She was still smiling that coy smile, and he could feel her eyes scanning his. "Mind if I take that back?" She whispered leaning in a little closer, as she signaled with a brow towards her hand securely held between his. "If that's okay with you, I mean."

Realizing what he had been doing he let her hand fall from his with a nod. "Excuse me. It's been a rather long day."

iWhat the hell was that, Vakarian? Get your shit together. Focus./i

After a moment of pleasantries, Joker paged in for Anderson calling him to the bridge. "I will let you two get better acquainted. From what I hear you'll be working closely these next few days. I'll be back shortly. Shepard. Spectre Vakarian." Anderson turned and after a pat on Shepard's shoulder he left them alone in the Comm Room.

"Do you know why I'm here, Commander?" Garrus asked not looking to her eyes again, finding them a bit too distracting. Even more so now that they were alone. What was it about this human that had him so… intrigued? What was that look she was giving him...

"I was speeding?" Shepard's voice was playful and inviting as she brought his attention towards her. "Sorry. I thought a little levity might, but okay… Also, yes." Letting out a small laugh, he watched her pinching the bridge of her nose surprising a much larger laugh. "You're here to watch me."

"That I am. Do you know what for?" Asking with arms fastened tightly behind his back. He stood tall, strong and broad shouldered. He still found it hard to look at her when he spoke. There was something about the way she looked at him...

"Well, I had an idea. But now I'm starting to think I'm in trouble again." She joked again while walking forward placing her arms on the bar circling the room.

"Are you always this…" Asking as he turned to face her finally. He ran his eyes over her, noticing the lightness of her tone and posture. He tried figuring her out, but found her very hard to read. Once again he wished he could see what her vitals were, maybe then he'd have something to go off of.

"Charming?"

"I was going to say spirited." Finishing he stepped towards her, watching as she crossed her arms leaning back into a hip in one fluid motion.

"Damn. I was really going for charming…" She pulled in a lower lip, biting it lightly. "To answer your question yes I do and yes I am."

He wasn't sure why, but he felt himself instantly comfortable around her. She had some kind of air around her that was familiar. Like he'd met her before. Known her before. Something… Maybe it had been all the research he'd done. Maybe he felt a closeness since he had spent the better part of a month learning everything there was to know about her.

"I see you're quite talkative. Care to tell me what I'm doing here then?" Garrus couldn't help but play with her a little, having learned this inquisitive nature from his father it was only natural.

"You're here to watch me." Shepard licked her lips, pulling a hand to her mouth. Once again he found himself looking at them. "You're here to see if the famous Commander Shepard has what it takes to join the Spectre club, am I right?"

"Does she?" His voice had a soft reverberation, and he watched her throat contract as she swallow when he spoke.

"You know, Mr. Vakarian…" She started, brow furrowed in thought. "I don't know if I have an answer you want to hear. I could go off on this long winded speech about why I'd be better for this than the next human trying to weasel their way to Spectre status. But the truth is I'm not any better than those men or women. I'm actually pretty sure you could find a lot better people for the job than me. I'm just a soldier that's been in the right place at the right time."

"I've read your file. Do you really expect me to believe your entire career was based simply on luck?" Garrus shifted his weight inspecting her carefully, trying to remember the human tells he had learned while in training. Why couldn't he remember any of them now? Something told him that even if he had remembered she wouldn't be so simple to understand.

"Not exactly the way I would have put it, but luck is one way to look at it." She sighed looking forward taking her eyes off him for the first time since they met.

"Like I said, Commander. I've read your file. And I don't think that luck had much to do with it."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Guess there's only one way to find out, Mr. Vakarian." Smiling wide again, he saw that same something from before flicker in those large viridian eyes. Staring intently like she could see into him.

"Guess you're right, Commander. Oh, and it's just Garrus. Vakarian if you like... Mr. Vakarian is my father. Or rather Council Vakarian. But it still feels wrong... Just, Garrus." Holding her gaze he traced the lines of her face, running them to her hair again. He was close to her and could smell her lavender skin surrounding him like a wave.

"Alight, Garrus. If we're gonna be on a first name basis why don't you call me Jane?" She slid a hand to her neck rubbing it lightly as she circled her head in an elegant stretch. "You ready to see if I have what it takes?"

Studying her face again, he felt something awaken in him. It started low in his gut and slipped up high into his chest where it held heavy like a weight. Whatever the hell it was, it was strong and powerful. Looking at the Commander he saw strength. He saw courage, determination, wit and beauty. He didn't know where this mission would take him, but he had a strange feeling that they were connected. That by the end of it, he'd know this human better than anyone else had… Garrus had no idea how, but he knew. Whatever was down there waiting for them on Eden Prime was going to be big. Whatever was going on here, would be bigger. He may not know where they would end up, but he was ready to see where this mission took him. He was ready to see where she would take him.


End file.
